The Marshall Plan

2012 Summer Intern Program

2012-01-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

Click for more information...

ONLINE application is NOW available

End of the Year Donation

2011-12-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Click to make a tax-deductible donation to the Marshall Foundation

Have you made your year-end, tax-deductible donation? You can double the value of your donation through a matching grant from the Batchelor Foundation to help support our Everglades education programs in 2012!

The additional funds will allow us to increase the reach of our school in-class programs to 40,000 students, plant 5,000 native trees in the Everglades, implement the new Water Ambassadors program in 10 schools, provide five paid college summer internships, and offer Everglades field trips.

This is a great opportunity to have your financial support go twice as far as we work together to protect our environment and develop its future stewards.

3rd graders get a close look at a sunning anhinga!

2011 River of Grass Gala a success!

2011-12-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

FROM A RECENT PRESS RELEASE...
Nancy Marshall, president of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, which champions the restoration and preservation of the greater Everglades ecosystem, today announced that the nonprofit organization raised more than $100,000 at the recent sixth annual River of Grass Gala.

More than 200 people attended the gala, which was co-chaired by Bob & Michelle Diffendorfer and Harvey Oyer III & Monique McCall, with Joyce McLendon of Palm Beach serving as Honorary Chair.

With a “Back to Nature” theme, the fundraising event included the presentation of the Marshall Foundation’s fourth annual Champion of the Everglades Awards to individuals and organizations that have made an outstanding contribution toward Everglades restoration over many years. The 2011 recipients were Palm Beach County Commissioner Karen Marcus (elected official), Charlie Pelizza of the US. Fish and Wildlife Service (individual) and the National Wildlife Refuge Association (organization).

Additional highlights of the gala included one-of-a-kind centerpiece-sculptures (“Let the Dance Begin”) by renowned artist Norman Gitzen and high tech, pro-green, virtually paperless silent auction.

centerpiece sculptures by Norman Gitzen

“As always, I am humbled by the number of people who tirelessly volunteer, sponsor and support our annual River of Grass Gala that funds 100 percent of our grassroots environmental projects throughout the year,” said Nancy Marshall. “In fact, 100 percent of all funds raised at the Gala goes directly toward educating the next generation about the critical importance of the Everglades, our national treasure, on the entire state of Florida.”

Click to see a photo gallery from the 2011 River of Grass Gala

Everglades Legislative Caucus--public comments

2011-12-07T12:46:00.001-08:00

Your may have read about the formation of an Everglades Legislative Caucus last week. The group met for some fact finding at the Refuge, followed by a press conference nearby...

They were kind enough to allow the Marshall Foundation to say a few words. Along with our public comments, I also delivered the following written statement...

Public Comment to EvergladesLegislative Caucus, November 28, 2011

Bedner’s near the Entrance tothe Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge

On behalf of the Arthur R.Marshall Foundation, thanks for the time to say a few words in support ofEverglades Restoration at the upstart of the Everglades LegislativeCaucus. We very much appreciate Representative StevePerman for spearheading the genesis of the Caucus.

We see a significant increasein potential of achieving my Late Uncle’s Everglades repair objectives, asoutlined in the Marshall Plan, issued as a Friends of the EvergladesNewsletter, published by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, in 1981. To repair the Everglades,Uncle Art saw as Job 1, the Restoration of the Kissimmee Basin, i.e., theEverglades Headwaters.

Our organization is very gladto add our support to the proposed Everglades Headwaters National WildlifeRefuge. As this project goes forward, itwill make a huge difference by preserving vast acres of wetlands to providewater storage and treatment with positive economic impacts.

In executing another key partof the Marshall Plan, the full restoration of sheet flow, we are gladto share that our organization is also highly pleased that a Central EvergladesProject and a streamlined federal-state implementation is being added to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan orCERP(+) to do what Uncle Art Outlined in 1981; kudo’s for an equally robust approach toinvolve all stakeholders, including small grass-roots organizations like ours.

These two projects areessential elements of the greater Everglades Ecosystem restoration. There is some back-channel conversation thatthere may not be enough money to do both of them, suggesting we should pick oneor the other. This would be anincredible mistake. We cannot do withouteither of them to fully restore the greater Everglades ecosystem. We ask the Everglades Legislative Caucus tosupport both to ensure a fully successful Everglades restoration outcome.

In previous comment, theArtMarshall.org has provided Ecosystem Services Valuation (ESV) analysis basedon peer-reviewed literature, to show that a restored River of Grass, theapparent objective of the Central Everglades Project, would provide a 10 to 1return on investment (ROI).

We view our ESV demonstrationas a challenge to the Federal agencies to act on recommendations in the WhiteHouse Report: Sustaining Natural Capital –Protecting Society and the Economy, for use in ROI Decision-Support inprojects like the proposed EH NWR.

Of these two initiativesdiscussed, nothing could have pleased Uncle Art more. As Senator Bob Graham noted on these groundsin 2006, Art Marshall was the quintessential example that one man could make adifference.

We look forward to workingwith the Everglades Legislative Caucus, CERP implementers, the NationalWildlife Refuge Association, and other NGO’s, to see to fruition, the legacy ofan extraordinary plan and the man who wrote it. Also that a small grass rootsorganization can make a big difference. Thanks for the opportunity to make these comments.
For the Art Marshallapproach, Semper Fi,

John Arthur Marshall,Chairman of the board.

International Volunteer Day

2011-12-05T05:41:00.001-08:00

This fall, the Marshall Foundation has had several enthusiastic young people at the office on a regular basis, benefitting both the Foundation and the students.

Carissa Iverson, a senior at Palm Beach Atlantic University, is the Foundation’s 2011-2012 PBAU Science Club Scholarship Recipient. She will continue working once a week with the education department at the Foundation until she graduates in May.

The Foundation and Dr. Wendy Hinshaw, Assistant Professor of English at Florida Atlantic University, partnered on a service learning project to provide “real world” experience for three students through writing and research tasks. The FAU team includes Adrienne DeCramer of Boynton Beach, Kirsta Lamm of Boca Raton and Sean Chesal from Deerfield Beach.

The Foundation was also selected as a mentoring site for high school students during the 2011-2012 school year by the Gale Academy of Environmental Science and Technology at Forest Hill High School. Katherine Brown, the student assigned to the Marshall Foundation, will continue her work with us until the spring.

Chelsea Jones, a Juris Doctor candidate at St. Thomas University School of Law (class of 2013), takes a twice-weekly break from her studies to be an invaluable volunteer at the Foundation office.

A big THANK YOU to the many volunteers who are such a vitalpart of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation “team” throughout the year!

River of Grass Gala

2011-11-21T12:52:00.001-08:00

Click here to learn more about the River of Grass Gala

ESV (Ecological Services Valuation) for Dummies

2011-11-07T12:49:00.001-08:00

ON THE VALUE TO SOCIETY OFECOSYSTEMS SERVICES VALUATION (A SHORT TUTORIAL)

Introductionby Arthur R. Marshall to an AIAA Conference, 1972: I haveto believe, as all scientists should, that the more exactly we definerealities, the closer society will adhere to them. If this is not true, many of our careers arepersonal opiates rather than contributions to hope for the world.

Hereis a brief and simplified case for incorporating realistic Ecosystem Service Valuation (ESV) as policyfor Federal-State-Local environmental decision-support, CERP(+) being oneexample. The (+) after CERP(+) is notation that total ecosystem valuationshould include adds to CERP 1999 such as the Central Everglades project,Everglades Headwaters NWR, non-CERP projects, etc. Reasons for ESV policyfollow:

· AReport to the President – SustainingNational Capital – Protecting Society and the Economy – Tells the FederalGovt to go in this direction for projects like CERP(+); the title implies thelevel of need.

· Inthe Water Resources Advisory Commission meeting 3 Nov 11, there was muchrumination about the value of various ecosystems and water delivery to sustainsame, as well as water availability value in terms of benefits and costs forurban systems; however there was no specific methodology referenced to get to benefitsin terms of a dollar value, such that it can be related to costs. ESV is it.

· Perthe Costanza Synthesis [Google Nature 387 for the 8 page paper], the 17characteristics of 18 Planetary Biomes (Ecosystems) have much greater valuethan is widely understood and measured for society’s benefit; for example thevalue of wetlands exceed $10,000 per acre per year in 2011 dollars; estuariesare declared to have the highest value owing to their diversity of flora andfauna.

1. The Costanza Synthesis is the most wildlyreferenced peer reviewed paper in the environmental economics literature. Since all local ecosystems are uniquerelative to the Costanza Synthesis, detailed ESV of the local ecosystemprovides a more accurate picture than using the Benefits Transfer Approach(BTA) of the local ecosystem based on the Costanza Synthesis.

2. Critics also note that unique ESV analysis can takeone to three years of intense data gathering and analysis, which can cost 10 to20 times more than a quick BTA calculation using the Costanza Synthesisequivalent biomes, which is usually within 10%-20% of an on-siteanalysis.

3. Whatever approach is taken, most agree that ESV isusually underestimated due to complexities; the real value of ESV is its use inan analysis of alternatives as the resulting Benefit-to-cost (B/C = B:C) ratioprovides a clear and convincing basis for evaluating return on investment (ROI)

4. For the usually unachievable quicker, better, cheaperapproach, BTA using the Costanza Synthesis should be a primarypreference as an environmental decision-making tool.

5. Point 4 is especially true when a number ofalternatives are presented todecision-makers, necessitating less than a life-long study on the relativemerit of alternatives providing the best ROI.

6. Footnotes: TheCostanza Synthesis serves as a reality check when other approaches aretaken. When other approaches aretaken, modeling to get there may usemore BTA than suggested above

· TotalEconomic Valuation (TEV) of CERP(+) benefits forces long-term strategicthinking in terms of life-cycle benefits and costs; note that CERP(+) is a40-50 year life cycle.

o The notional benefitsequation is: ESV = $$$ per Acre per Year

ESV = $10,000 x Acres x 40 yrs

o Notethat when acres restored/conserved are big, ESV is big, e.g., benefits are BIGrelative to costs; B:C provides a realistic, understandable ROI, and that thisis a selling point for program.

· Manyinvolved in CERP(+) are calling for synthesis.

o The quintessential synthesis isgiven by the B:C ratio; TEV puts a dollar value on the benefits, which can thenbe compared with the costs of restoration/conservation.

o References indicate the Benefits:Costs(B/C = B:C) are most always greater than 10:1.

o TheB:C = 10:1, i.e., $10 of benefits for every $1 dollar invested becomes a greatway to sell a program, in a manner understandable by Congress, OMB and thepubic

· CERP(+)Applications that demonstrate the value of ESV:

o EvergladesFoundation – Measuring the Economic Benefits of Everglades Restoration, with aresult that B:C = 4:1, i.e., $4 returned for every $1 invested, and this isconservative

o ArthurMarshall Foundation: Valuing EcosystemServices of a Restored River of Grass, with a result of B:C ranging from 6:1 to26:1: See http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/GEER2010/Poster%20PDFs/Marshall.pdf

o ArthurR. Marshall Foundation: ValuingEcosystem Services of the proposed Everglades Headwaters NWR placed in publiccomment: B:C could exceed 100:1. For non-believers see: http://www.uvm.edu/research/?Page=news&storyID=1153&category=uvmresearch

o FloridaRanchlands Payment For Ecosystem Services – More of a market based approach,with PES for a specific service of one of the 17 services called out in theCostanza Synthesis.

· PotentialGeneral Applications in the form of tradeoffs that consider all positive andnegative externalities:

o Developmentof Regional Impact (DRI) when destruction of wetlands are proposed

o Benefitsand costs of mitigation of destroyed wetlands, rivers estuaries to ensure thenational policy of no net loss of wetlands and the ESV of same.

o Benefitsand Costs of EPA/FDEP pollution rule-making

· Failureto place a value on wetlands results in a default value of zero; one resultappears to be a failure of the national policy of “no net loss of wetlands”.

o TheNational Research Council 2005 Study – ValuingEcosystem Services – Towards better Environmental Decision Making – Tellsus to go in this direction.

· TheNRC Study makes a big point that when no value is placed on an ecosystem, theecosystem is given a default value of zero.

· A Report to the President – Sustaining National Capital – ProtectingSociety and the Economy – Tells the Federal Govt to go in this directionfor projects like CERP(+)

· The recommendationsherein amount to the needed paradigm shift required to move bureaucracy tobetter environmental decision making.

· Thisis the way for selling CERP(+) to Congress, OMB and the Public.

· Twopage letter to the President and four page executive summary amplifies; See http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_sustaining_environmental_capital_report.pdf

· Thereis an annual conference called ACES (A Conference on Ecosystem Services)sponsored by Federal-State-Local govt and non-profit entities that addressgoing in this direction. It is a wasteof money not to move in this direction.

· UsingESV as a means to calculate the benefits & costs to counter sea level rise,global warming, and drought management provide an economic basis for takingaction, or not.

· It isfairly clear that all that are pushing CERP(+) intuitively recognize the intrinsicvalue of restoring and preserving wetlands. Who are we if we can’t or won’t put a dollar value on our work?

Conclusions:

· The18 biomes called out in the Costanza Synthesis represent our planetary total nationalcapital

· Thebest road to sustainability is to use the ESV approach to put an economic value on natural capital andrelated ecosystem services.

· Failureto put an economic value on ecosystems services results in a default value ofzero, leading to loss of natural capital in an unsustainable manner. Biomes (ecosystems) are victims of thecurrent paradigm of zeroing out ecosystems for the sake of growth anddevelopment.

· Useof the Costanza Synthesis and benefits transfer approach provides the cheaper-quicker-betterapproach for understandable return on investment analysis of alternativesand a means to sell billion dollar restoration programs to Congress, Office ofManagement & Budget, and the public.

· CERP(+)implementers have the opportunity to set the example in a paradigm shift towardbetter environmental decision making by using ESV in CERP(+) analysis ofalternatives.

“If you don’t synthesizeknowledge, scientific journals become spare-parts catalogues for machines thatare never built. Until isolated and separated pieces of information areassimilated by the human mind, we will continue to rattle around aimlessly.” --- Arthur R. Marshall, quoted in ”Anatomy of aMan-made Drought,” Sports Illustrated, March 15, 1982

11th Annual Cypress Harvest is almost here!

2011-10-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

River of Grass Gala

2011-10-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

For more information or to purchase tickets please visit here!

Getting Buggy for the Everglades

2011-10-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of our supporters who joined us on October 4!

Channel 12 News coverage

Big THANK YOU to our friends and supporters

2011-09-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

A nice article in the Palm Beach Daily News about a recent PB County Commission meeting...

students taking part in 'Everglades: Through the Eyes of Children', our annual photo project at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. (photo by Tom Poulson)

Everglades Headwaters Refuge Proposal

2011-09-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Exciting news out of Washington regarding the proposed Everglades Headwaters NWR!

New federal plan a boon for Everglades

Federal officials unveiled final details of a plan to create a new wildlife refuge and conservation area that would preserve open land north of Lake Okeechobee and help waterflow to the Everglades....

Watch live streaming video from interiortest at livestream.com

2011 Summer Intern research presentation

2011-09-06T07:49:00.001-07:00

Curious what our interns did this summer? Click to listen to their presentation on the Economic Impact of the Drought here in South Florida. And learn how Everglades restoration could help alleviate these problems in the future.

Waterfowlers Summit--August 25/26

2011-08-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Below you can find the presentation I will deliver at the 2011 Waterfowlers Conference in Ocala on August 25.

CERPBenefitsandCosts

For more information on the conference click HERE!

Cypress Harvest

2011-08-24T11:32:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Annual Cypress Seed Harvest will take place on October 29

email plantcypress@aol.com for more information or visit our website!

Public Comment for CISRERP

2011-08-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc (ArtMarshall.org)
Public Comment on synthesis, ecosystem services, etc., to the 24th meeting of the
Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Progress

It is great to see “Synthesis,” “Ecosystem Services,” “Restoration Benefits,” and “Costs” (Budget Implications) on the Agenda for the 24th Meeting of CISRERP as applied to Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plans (CERP) and Non-CERP projects, which I’m calling CERP-plus = CERP(+) here.

Unfortunately I am unable to attend the meeting to see the synthesis results presented. In lieu of not attending the following public comment is submitted for the record.

First, I am pleased to introduce a new member of the Art Marshall.org Science & Technology Team as our representative at the 24th CISRERP meeting: Dr. Teresa Thornton, PhD in Forestry Resources, University of Maine, and another ArtMarshall.org spokesperson for the trees, environmental education, and more.

Second, on Synthesis: As always, the late Art Marshall was ahead of his time on this subject:
“If you don’t synthesize knowledge, scientific journals become spare-parts catalogues for machines that are never built. Until isolated and separated pieces of information are assimilated by the human mind, we will continue to rattle around aimlessly.” --- from “Anatomy of Man-made Drought,” Sports Illustrated, March 15, 1982 [Google for an interesting read]

Finally, the main point of this comment: The Art Marshall Foundation position, consistent with my late Uncle’s view re synthesis, is that better environmental decision making results from incorporating comprehensive ecosystem services valuation (ESV) based on total dollar accounting (total economic valuation) of benefits and costs (NRC, 2005) and that includes decisions on how to apply or implement CERP(+) for the following reasons:

No matter what comprehensive ESV approach is taken, the benefits demonstrated are greater than the B:C go-no-go decision ratios of 1.5 traditionally used by the Corps of Engineers. Using an ESV B:C for CERP(+) looks to have a B:C range of 6 to 9 times dollars invested as a return on investment. (ROI);
The White House (PCAST 2011) has called for ROI to be calculated for programs such as CERP(+) to support decision-making. Fully accounting for benefits and costs is more likely to result in support by Congress, Office of Mgt & Budget, and the public, while avoiding the influence of high cost nay-sayers;
In the Case of CERP(+), which has a 40-50 year life-cycle, the ESV approach forces long-term, strategic thinking, by requiring life-cycle benefits and costs to be projected, whereas the present focus on near-term project costs yields “sticker shock” for lack of accounting for long-term benefits.
Provides those implementing CERP(+) the opportunity to exercise leadership by example, as a better way of doing business, and is an opportunity to shift the zero-value paradigm.

The ESV approach is a fast emerging paradigm owing to the need to achieve optimum return on investment in these difficult economic times. We are very pleased to see the White House Report to The President: Sustaining National Capital: Protecting Society and the Economy hit the street (PCAST 2011), with strong recommendations that the Federal government adopt the ESV approach in projects like CERP(+). The Florida Ranchlands Payment for Ecosystem Services (FRPES) Project is a start.

Having presented a demonstration project (Marshall, et al, 2010) using the Costanza Synthesis (Google Nature 387), which got good peer review, e.g., The Honorable Rock Salt’s comments at a previous CISRERP meeting, we are happy to tout using the Costanza Synthesis (1997) and the benefits-transfer approach to move the implementation of CERP(+) forward, based on preliminary estimates of ESV.

Consistent with the latest literature we acknowledge that the benefits transfer method may have disadvantages over other methods. (Daily, Polasky, et al: 2011), However as a starting point when no other information is available, the benefits transfer approach using the Costanza Synthesis (Costanza, et al, 1997) appears to meet the mission impossible 3 out of 3: Quicker, better, and cheaper (QBC) goals. This appears more effective than resorting to narrative assessments necessitating subjective judgments by decision-makers, absent numeric decision-support.

The benefits transfer method also provides an order-of- magnitude reality check when alternative ESV approaches are taken up. Such an approach is equally great for QBC analysis of alternatives when several configurations are under consideration, and a determination of relative merit ROI is a primary consideration. This was the main purpose of the Valuing Ecosystem Services of a Restored River of Grass demonstration by our 2010 Summer Interns (Marshall, et al; 2010). As the late Admiral Grace Hopper noted: One good experiment [demonstration] is worth a 1,000 expert opinions.

P.S. Back to the future regarding the current man-made drought debate on the 2011 managed water shortage: The 2011 Arthur R. Marshall Summer Interns calculated the cost of the 2011 drought/water shortage to south Florida’s society and economy. They projected the drought/water supply shortage cost over the 40 year life-cycle of CERP(+), assuming three droughts a decade. The total cost to society and the economy exceeded $11 Billion. They concluded that at least $7.6 Billion Dollars in drought costs could be avoided. That’s enough to pay for implementing most of the proposed River of Grass configurations. (Marshall, et al, 2010). Greater focus is needed on such cost avoidance as CERP(+) is fully implemented.

All this begs an ethical question: Who are we as scientists and CERP(+) implementers if we can’t demonstrate the added value of our work to society? Art Marshall had an answer to this question as well:

I have to believe, as all scientists should, that the more exactly we define realities, the closer society will adhere to them. If this is not true, then many of our careers are personal opiates rather than contributions to hope in the world. American Association for Advancement of Science Conference, December, 1972.

Respectfully submitted,

John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board, Chair Science & Technology Committee
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.; www.ArtMarshall.org
1028 North Federal Highway; Lake Worth, FL 33460; 561-233-9004

Primary References:
Costanza, et al; 15 May 1997: The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital.
NRC, 2005: Valuing Ecosystem Services – Toward Better Environmental Decision Making
Marshall, et al; 2010 GEER Conference; Valuing Ecosystem Services of a Restored River of Grass;
Daily, Polasky, et al; 201l; Natural Capital – Theory & Practice of Mapping Ecosystem Services
PCAST, 2011: President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (S&T); Report to the President: Sustaining Natural Capital – Protecting Society & The Economy;

Happy Trails, to our Summer Interns

2011-08-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

Find a nice online article about the Summer Intern Graduation HERE

Guest Blogger--Vanessa Aparicio

2011-08-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

To keep you all updated on the Summer Intern Program, we have asked the interns to serve as guest bloggers from time to time. Here is a rundown of recent events from Vanessa Aparicio:

On July 27th, the Summer Interns and crew left bright and early to see a true treasure of Florida, Barley Barber Swamp. This old growth cypress swamp is owned and maintained by FPL and is located in Indiantown. We were all really excited because most of the cypress trees we had seen this summer were not very old and the trees in this Barley Barber Swamp were several hundred years old, with the oldest being around 900 to 1000 years!

It was a real treat that we were even able to go on this tour because tours normally only run from September through April, but Charles Barrowclough of Treasured Lands Foundation, made a special exception for us. It was also a special treat because the Swamp had been closed to the public since September 9, 2001 for security reasons. The Swamp had only recently reopened to the public after an Eagle Scout had restored the boardwalk to its original glory.

The Swamp had just experienced a rain storm the night before and had quite a bit of water, even though our guides said the day before had been very dry. We got to see a lot of insects, apple snail eggs, a variety of birds, pond apple trees, and of course plenty of cypress trees. We also saw a lot of flowers and Dr. Tom saw his first ever Ball Bromeliad in bloom, which has a beautiful purple flower! When we came to the clearing where the oldest cypress trees were, the oldest known as big grandpa or the Champion, took center stage, it was huge!

We also learned an interesting history as to where Barley Barber Swamp got its name. It was named after a man who came down here and laid claim to land. He was a bit of a loner and needed to make some money, but had no family or friends he could call upon to work with. As a result he decided to hire a Seminole Indian to help him open a logging business. One day people around town noticed Barley Barber and the Seminole Indian did not show up for work and they went looking for them. At Barley Barber’s house they found the Seminole Indian dead and his bride, along with Barley Barber, were missing never be seen again.

We also learned a great deal of the cultural history of Barley Barber Swamp. It is classified as an Indian trading or aquaculture mound by the State. There are many Indian artifacts located on the grounds and this mound likely took many generations to build. The mound faces due west towards the lake and was built with materials brought back from the coast. The highest elevation of the mound sits at 16 feet and is thought to be where the high chiefs resided.

Towards the end of the day, while we were at lunch, we received a fascinating history of Florida Ranching and Indiantown from the owner of the Seminole Inn. She told us of her family roots and how her mother’s best friend, Betsy, helped the Seminole Tribe gain recognition by the government. It was fascinating to hear about her heritage and a little bit about old Florida. I would really recommend to anyone who has a chance to get out there and see Barley Barber Swamp for themselves! It will not disappoint!

River of Grass Everglades Restoration Benefits and Costs: A Citizen Scientist’s view.

2011-08-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

The July 30 letter to the editor, TC Palm, of questionable title puts politics ahead of restoration science by demeaning a total system approach initiated by a previous Governor. Citizens deserve a more science-based account than what was provided by a former South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) governing board member.

Regarding the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) there is virtually unanimous consensus in the conservation community and many gov’t scientists that the June 24, 2008 initiative to restore the missing link and revitalize the River of Grass, was finally a way to make the C in CERP comprehensive.

The CERP issued in 1999 (CERP 1999) was fatally flawed by failure to provide natural flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades and restore its historic River of Grass in the metaphor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Moreover, restoring natural flow was a major premise on page 1 of CERP 1999, and throughout the 4033 page tome.

A group of scientists, gov't and non-gov't, took the fatal-flaw issue to the same governing board member circa 2000-2001, who was then chair of the governing board. The chair promised that the flow-way debate would be put back on the table in a workshop. Then he reversed his position, as apparently the discussion of the primary characteristic that was needed to fully restore the Everglades was too hot a potato to put on the table at that time.

Getting the CERP 1999 needs fully discussed based on restoration science at this stage would have saved a lot of time and money, including avoiding $300 million going into a project with more negative externalities than benefits.

The A-1 Reservoir was an implementation in reaction to the fatal flaw in absence of the needed cure. The reservoir result would be a smaller Lake - like structure, requiring expensive dikes and subsequent huge maintenance and replacement costs down stream. It would have increased the need for water quality treatment while taking up space for needed water quality treatment, a double whammy, given the intent to restore dynamic storage and sheet flow as described in CERP 1999 Section 2.3.1, while blocking the flow path to do so.

Long story short: Most what has been claimed in the July 30 letter defies scientists’ calls to restore sheet flow dating back to the 1970’s, also called the Marshall Plan, through the latest CERP 1999 peer review by the National Research Council (2010 Biennial Report).

In January 2008, CERP scientists revealed a second deficiency: That they had found through modeling and analysis, that the Everglades was a much wetter ecosystem than previously modeled in CERP 1999, requiring a return to the drawing board to get the water right and restore natural flow postulated on page 1 of CERP 1999 and elsewhere in the 4033 page tome. Per CERP protocol, this requires an execution of “adaptive management” when new data dictates a significant need for a modification of CERP 1999.

All this was summarized in Governing Board meetings as debriefs of what was going on in River of Grass workshops being conducted at the SFWMD, so it does beg a question as to why this was not heard as a matter of fiduciary responsibility.

In terms of CERP science, per the verb “to restore” and adaptive management, the initiative to restore “the missing link to revitalize the River of Grass” was/is right on target. This provides the means to flow water south to meet the true water needs of the historic Everglades, as well as all the other users, and avoids trashing the estuaries by moving water south more than east and west.

Call the total ecosystem revitalization CERP(+). Consider CERP(+) progress in three regions:

1. There is progress north of Lake O per the Northern Everglades Ecosystem legislation/plan and the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.
3. There is progress in the southern Everglades with the bridging of Tamiami Trail and related projects.
2. Until the River of Grass initiative, there was inadequate action for connecting the northern part of the ecosystem with the southern part of the ecosystem, due to CERP 1999 deficiencies. Absent this link, the Everglades would have to remain on expensive engineered life-support, and not much life with that.

In May, 2010 the River of grass (ROG) workshops were postponed until further notice, owing to the need to address land purchase needed. Admittedly the economy makes the current paltry land purchase look like a bad deal, but it does provide options to restore the integrity of the Everglades ecosystem in a more robust way.

Meanwhile the astute Chairman of the Governing Board posed salient questions: Wouldn’t we have to go through this ROG exercise anyway, even if we didn’t buy the land? And what about the benefits relative to the costs?

Preliminary analysis based on data coming out of the ROG workshops indicate that sheet flow configurations with the most benefit would cost about half of the $14 Billion cost claimed in the July 30 letter, produce benefits greater that ten times the cost, and cost much less than the $500 million per year in operations. It would be interesting to know the basis of the bigger costs claimed, and the fact that benefits were not part of the discussion.

Analysis presented to the Governing Board on Sept 12, 2007 also indicated potential benefits in the form of cost avoidance of over $5 billion dollars by restoring natural gravity flow to the extent feasible in lieu of pumping costs.

Additional calculations based on the 2011 drought/water shortage management indicate it likely will be less costly in the long run to restore the River of Grass, than inaction and the need for water management that results in the adverse economic impacts of droughts that are more frequent, longer in duration, and of extreme/exceptional category.

The approach referenced in the July 30 letter lacks a CERP(+) vision and de facto praises the reduction of State resources for adaptive action to get the water right and lessen the economic impacts of drought/water shortage. This leaves the Everglades and CERP 1999 on a fast track to undermine the Florida economy.

Further, the CERP 1999 approach proposed in the July 30 letter would leave Everglades Restoration a fragmented farce, and undermine revitalization of south Florida’s natural water supply at billions of expense to Florida Citizens.

Not to mention that scientists are proposing that the CERP(+) approach is the best antidote to sea level rise, salt water intrusion, and diminishing the need for expensive water supply alternatives.

Why a former governing board member does not see this is left to the judgment of the reader.
John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.
1028 North Federal Highway, Lake Worth, FL 33460; 233-9004
561-233-9004

Guest Blogger--Judy Hartshorn (part 2)

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

To keep you all updated on the Summer Intern Program, we have asked the interns to serve as guest bloggers from time to time. Here is a rundown of recent events from Judy Hartshorn:

(see here for part 1)

The next morning several board members and foundation supporters drove up to meet us for a pontoon boat tour of the Kissimmee River. Before the tour Loisa gave us a quick presentation about the history of the river, its channelization and the subsequent restoration currently taking place. Then we loaded onto the boat accompanied by Master Captain Ken Huser and naturalist guide Casey Trent. The boat took us through three different areas of the River starting off in a remnant oxbow that had been cut off from major flow. We continued on our way through the channelized portion of the river and then made it to a restored area before turning around. Our diversity index, taken on the birds and flora we observed from the pontoon, dictated that the restored section, not surprisingly, was the most diverse section of the river, followed by the remnant oxbow and lastly ( surprise, surprise…NOT) the channelized. The pontoon boat was greatly enjoyed by interns and foundation supporters alike. It was a great way to experience the Kissimmee River.
Later we headed to Larsen’s Dairy. We arrived at the diary in the middle of intense rains (the irony of this drought is the timing of the rains-always at irritating times) and therefore started off our tour in the office with barn manager Jose Verano.. We learned about some of the BMP’s the dairy has implemented, although not officially required to, such as surrounding water clarifying lagoons. When the rain let up Jose took us into the milking barn. We watched the whole procedure and learned about the methods the dairy utilizes to make their cows as comfortable and healthy as possible. Dairy cows hold long term value, both as milk producers and calf producers, as opposed to beef cows and therefore their long term heath is important. Vanessa and myself got to milk one of the cows, whom are each milked three times a day. At the hospital and pharmacy we received a lecture on the use of antibiotics and other medicines in the cows. Antibiotic regulations in milk are very stringent and the dairy can lose money and become under investigation if there are antibiotics present in the milk they send out. We learned about the detection methods for these antibiotics and also about how they administer them to cows. Just like people get sick so do cows, and therefore occasionally need antibiotics. Each antibiotic has a certain time length before it is naturally purified out of a system. During this time the cow is not allowed to be with the other cows, her milk is instead used to feed the calves. After the antibiotics run their course the cow’s milk is tested and if the test is passed she is readmitted to regular milk production. Next was the “down-time” barn, where the cows were kept when not being milked. Here we witnessed both a feeding and an insemination, done by hand-literally. Our last stop was a field where they kept the calves that we got to pet and have suck on our fingers. The dairy was extremely interesting and we learned a lot about the hardships faced by the industry and the issues surrounding Everglades’ restoration, such as pollution/water quality, from a different view point.

The next day our first stop was MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center at Buck Island Ranch. We talked with Betsey Boughton, their research director, about projects currently happening on the ranch and one of her favorite plants Juncus, which provides a sort of safe-haven from grazing for other species which grow within its protective leaves. We then piled into a swamp buggy along with two other Buck Island residents, PhD student Ryan and intern Lauren to see some of the sites we had learned about in the PowerPoint. Ryan told us a bit about FRESP, Florida Ranchlands Environmental Service Project a payment for environmental services program where cattle ranchers can use working agricultural land to provide valuable water related environmental services. The MacArthur ranch is a division of our final destination for the day Archbold Biological Station. Hilary Swain-their executive director--gave us Archbold’s history and then took us on an impromptu field trip to Lake Anne, where we feasted on hog plums and learned about the Lake’s unique properties. The lake is a hotspot for study by hydro-geologists; the 65 foot deep lake is formed by an ancient sinkhole the lake provides cores dating back thousands of years. Afterwards we went on a scrub habitat nature walk lead by Rick Lavoy, the education director. It was awesome to learn about the scrub and Rick’s knowledge and passion for the habitat made it even more enjoyable.

We awoke with the sunrise and John calling loudly throughout the house in Marine corps fashion, Reveille, Reveille! We quickly got ready and headed out to a Scrub Jay walk with Shane Pruett, an avian researcher at Archbold. The feisty blue scrub jays have long been a subject of research at Archbold and they have data on family trees going back decades. The jays are very interesting birds that have complex territory and mating associations. After the scrub jay we waved Archbold goodbye excitedly talking about possibly interning or doing research there in the future.

Our last stop was the Rivers Coalition meeting in Stuart Florida. Melissa Meeker attended the meeting and answered the many questions stakeholders around the St. Lucie had for her, overall the group in attendance seemed pleased with her performance, although she did have to mention “that it was only day thirty” more than once. After the meeting we reflected on our trip and discussed the significance on some of the things we had learned on our project (finding the total economic valuation and impact of the drought costs in the south Florida area). Ideally with finding this cost we will show, using benefit to cost analysis, how the cost of restoring the Everglades is less than the projected costs of droughts, which seem to be increasingly more frequent.

Judy Hartshorn. Go Canes-BOO Gators!

Summer Intern Graduation

2011-07-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

You can purchase tickets online at our website!

Letter to the Editor, PB Post: Everglades Back on Track ? Really?

2011-07-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

The July 16 letter to the editor of questionable title puts political science over restoration science by demeaning a total system approach initiated by a previous administration.

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan issued in 1999 (CERP 1999) was fatally flawed by failure to provide natural flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades and restore its historic River of Grass. Restoring natural flow was a major premise on page 1 of CERP 1999, and throughout the 4033 page tome.

Long story short: This was also due to political science, defying scientists’ calls to restore sheet flow dating back to the 1970’s, also called the Marshall Plan, through the latest CERP 1999 peer review by the National Research Council (2010 Biennial Report).

In January 2008, CERP scientists revealed a second deficiency: That they had found through modeling and analysis, that the Everglades was a much wetter ecosystem than previously modeled in CERP 1999, requiring a return to the drawing board to get the water right and restore natural flow postulated on page 1 of CERP 1999 and elsewhere in the 4033 page tome. Per CERP protocol, this requires an execution of “adaptive management” when new data dictates a need for a modification of CERP 1999.

In terms of CERP science, per the verb “to restore” and adaptive management, emerged the initiative to restore “the missing link to revitalize the River of Grass”. This provides the means to flow water south to meet the true water needs of the historic Everglades, as well as all the other users, and avoids trashing the estuaries by moving water south more than east and west.

Call the total ecosystem revitalization CERP(+). Consider CERP(+) progress in three regions:

1. There is progress north of Lake O per the Northern Everglades Ecosystem legislation/plan and the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.

3. There is progress in the southern Everglades with the bridging of Tamiami Trail and related projects.

2. Until the River of Grass initiative, there was inadequate action for connecting the northern part of the ecosystem with the southern part of the ecosystem, due to CERP 1999 deficiencies. Absent this link, the Everglades would have to remain on expensive engineered life-support, and not much life with that.

In May 2010 the River of grass workshops were postponed until further notice, owing to the need to address land purchase needed. Admittedly the economy makes this paltry land purchase look like a bad deal. However better economic analysis indicates CERP(+) return on investment is at least $10:$1, with Florida Crystals analysis producing an even higher ROI: 26:1, based on restoring flow aforementioned.

Additional calculations indicate it will be less costly in the long run to restore the River of Grass, than inaction and water management that results in the adverse economic impacts of droughts that are more frequent, longer in duration, and of extreme/exceptional category.

The “streamlined approach” referenced in the July 16 letter lacks a CERP(+) vision and reduces State resources for adaptive action to get the water right and lessen the economic impacts of drought/water shortage. This leaves the Everglades and CERP 1999 on a track undermining the Florida economy.

Why a former governing board member does not see this is left to the judgment of the reader.

John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board

Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.

1028 North Federal Highway, Lake Worth, FL 33460; 233-9004

Guest Blogger--Judy Hartshorn (part 1)

2011-07-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

To keep you all updated on the Summer Intern Program, we have asked the interns to serve as guest bloggers from time to time. Here is a rundown of recent events from Judy Hartshorn:

Reveille, Reveille, We’re Going to Riverwoods Today!

Generally when my alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m I am not a happy camper. However, when the beeping started that Monday I didn’t have the urge to throw it across the room. In fact I happily got up. Why? Because soon I would be off, along with my fellow interns, Shannon-a past intern and the current education associate, John Marshall, and Dr. Tom on our second overnight trip with the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation. We were headed north to visit northern Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River. I had never been to these areas and was excited to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the greater Everglades system by visiting its headwaters.

The trip got off to a great start with an airboat ride with Don Fox of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Paul Grey whom works for Audubon. We were especially excited for the tour because all our other air boat rides had been canceled due to drought conditions. We all loaded onto two airboats and were off. The tour was a whirlwind of Lake Okeechobee information from natural history, politics and policy, species information, to the Lake’s response to current drought conditions (many of which were good such as increased littoral zone). Dr. Tom caught an armored catfish barehanded, we made lotus maracas, and no airboats broke down. Although the Lake’s Snail Kite population is only about 700,drastically lower than historic numbers, it seemed as if the majority of those 700 showed up for our airboat ride, which was awesome. Afterwards Don and Paul joined us at Lightsies, which I would highly recommend, for lunch. While munching on their famous catnip appetizer and variations of fried cooter, gator, froglegs and catfish we further discussed the happenings around the Lake specifically about the drought’s effect on the lake and local agriculture. It was awesome to experience Lake O firsthand.

After lunch we all piled into the car and headed off to Riverwoods, our home for the next two nights. Riverwoods Field Laboratory is a facility jointly managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Florida Center for Environmental Studies (CES). Riverwoods's main objective is to support research and educational activities related to the restoration of the Kissimmee River and the greater Everglades watershed. Loisa Kerwin came and gave us a very nice orientation to the field lab and the house we were staying in. It was then we learned about CiCi, Riverwoods’ unofficial mascot, whose favorite perch happened to be the tree outside the group house. CiCi is a usually friendly, people fed, Bard owl that recently found a wildmate (named GiGi). Although CiCi and GIGi are usually not a problem it is nesting season and CiCi’s behavior has been more aggressive-metaphorically the Jekyll and Hyde of owls. Loisa warned us about this and explained Riverwoods new CiCi protocol. Anytime one went outside they should have a badminton racket with them which they would swing in front of their head and body. Loisa said CiCi should not be a problem as he had not swooped at anyone in three weeks. Well if anyone knows Dr. Tom and the influence he can have on the interns that statement was basically an invitation for swoopage. Within two minutes of going outside CiCi was in the tree. Next thing we know CiCi has swooped down, lightly scratched Rob and attempted to land on Dr. Tom’s shorts. Needless to say we were more formal about the rest of our CiCi interactions, and he actually had us semi-cornered more than once.

Marshall Foundation on Radio Green Earth--7/14/11

2011-07-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Marshall Foundation shares air-time with Michael Grunwald on the topic of drought in South Florida! Listen in as the Summer Interns discuss their views on the topic...

This week on Radio Green Earth, we talk about a topic on everyone’s minds these days in South Florida : drought.

We’re lucky enough to talk to John Marshall about his theories behind our “man-made droughts” and what we can do to help restore our natural climate system. We’ll also be talking to Time Magazine’s Michael Grunwald, author of the Swamp, about his own research on the Everglades and our local climate systems. Radio Green Earth host, Missy Strauss, will visit the Kissimmee River Basin at the very source of the Everglades and report on one of the best developed restoration projects in the area. We’ll see how aggressive efforts are already under way to restore the Everglades.Read more

Join us for an hour of environmental news, these feature stories, our green tip-of-the-week, and our environmental events calendar Thursday at 7 PM on WPBI 90.7 FM and Wednesdays at 8 PM on WQCS 88.9 FM. Also available live at www.radiogreenearth.org/.

Article in the Palm Beach Daily News

2011-07-11T07:03:00.000-07:00

This appeared in Local Voices section of the Sunday edition...

Global climate change, sea- level rise and the current drought beg for a plan and swift implementation. Call the counter-measure the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Both the drought and sea-level rise pose imminent threats to the water supply in South Florida by saltwater intrusion into drinking water sources.

An assessment of the cause and effect of the current drought will to some unknown extent counter the consequences of global warming and sea-level rise. (Per Palm Beach Daily News, June 25, 2011: Planning and Zoning board looks for inspiration on climate change measures.)

Much has been reported regarding the current water shortage and blaming the “extreme drought” on global climatic conditions, such as La Niña, the Bermuda High and the North Atlantic Oscillation.

No doubt these conditions are having their effects to produce the current scenario of extreme/exceptional drought. However, in all the reporting, there is not one word about a significant cause of water shortages in South Florida and its links to the global scenarios.

The late Arthur R. Marshall called this scenario a man-made drought, and sought to address the cause and cure back in 1981. (Search for “Anatomy of a man-made drought” online.) The main water-shortage cause is the removal and draining of wetlands for development and agriculture, and the reduction of natural water flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades.

The Everglades wetlands, also known as the River of Grass, provided natural water retention, recharged the aquifers from which much water is drawn in Florida and filtered the water as it moved south. Moving water south (also southeast and southwest) will be a significant counter to sea-level rise.

A major volume of water that went south to the Everglades now is flushed to tide. One big result is decreased evapo-transpiration over what used to be the River of Grass, with surface water and plants sending water vapor into the atmosphere, unabated.

When moisture-heavy sea breezes combined with evapo-transpiration, South Florida was subject to rainfall deluges. Art Marshall dubbed this the “rain machine.”

The water supply in all of Florida, especially South Florida, depends on a rainfall-driven system. What is less touted in the science of the Florida water cycle, is that evapo-transpiration drives rainfall. The water cycle is also known as the hydrologic cycle. This is Geology 101 and visually described in a recently published poster by the South Florida Water Management District.

As Art Marshall declared in June 1981: “Water is the major concern of our coalition. If Lake O fails periodically to be adequate for all needs, what is to be done?”

Art Marshall also postulated that there was more dynamic water storage in the atmosphere over Florida than water storage in Lake Okeechobee.

The question persists today. As Art Marshall noted 30 years ago:

“Knowing that rainfall and its retention are the only satisfactory sources of water in the Everglades system, we support the re-establishment of sheet flow in the basin to the greatest possible extent. We cannot ignore the efficiency of the pristine system which often extended the wet period in the Everglades for four months or more beyond the four or five months of the rainy season.

“Dr. Patrick Gannon, meteorologist, has written of the positive effects of wetlands on rainfall in South Florida. Waters evaporated from the basin return to the basin in a form of natural recycling. In addition to this in-basin recycling, the most air rising from the basin can trigger additional rain to fall from water-laden oceanic air masses as they blow inland over South Florida.”

Conservation measures may help alleviate drought situations — such as xeriscaping, drip irrigation, cisterns and rain barrels, low-flow shower heads, doing away with unnecessary irrigation of medians, creating codes that don’t require thirsty green lawns. However, projected population increases, more rooftops and unmitigated destruction of wetlands will only make for more frequent extreme/exceptional droughts, and increased water supply costs, when they can be met.

There is a counter to the man-made drought and a counter to sea-level rise: Restore the river of grass to the maximum extent possible, thus restoring evapo-transpiration, and the rain machine in South Florida.

As Mr. Marshall also pointed out, rainfall always exceeds evapo-transpiration in Florida. If this were not true, Florida would be a desert.

We are way overdue — by 30 years — to address the cause. Now we need action on the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and its robust implementation to restore the River of Grass. This will provide South Florida with plenty of low-cost water and avoid costly droughts.

How much is the man-made drought costing the people of Florida? That next.

Letter to Commisioner Putnam

2011-07-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Commissioner Putnam;

Concur with your comments in the Palm Beach Post that repair of Lake Okeechobee is of critical importance.

However there are more significant causes of the current extreme/severe drought: Namely the continued loss of wetlands and the insufficient implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) to restore lost wetlands.

South Florida depends on a robust approach to CERP to minimize the frequency, duration and extent of droughts in the future. CERP is also viewed by leading scientists as the best cure for global warming and sea level rise.

My late uncle, Arthur R. Marshall, addressed the issue of continued severe droughts back in the early 1980's, and proposed an earlier CERP. There was a reminder of this in the PB Post recently; See: HERE.

The cause and effect of the current drought is more fully laid out in Anatomy of a Man-Made Drought, in a March, 1982 Article.

Thanks for pushing CERP implementation as a cure for our current water resources problems.

For the Art Marshall approach,

Semper Fi,

John

John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board,

Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute

Website update

2011-07-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that on July 7, we went 'live' with our new website --please check it out!

Writing and compiling the information was a team effort by the entire staff, however, the construction of the site is to be credited to Kelly Gebhart, who did an outstanding job! Please let us know what you think.

Letter to the Editor: Blame Loss of the Everglades for South Florida's Drought

2011-07-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here is my letter to the Palm Beach post--originally printed on June 28:

(followed by some required reading!)

Much has been reported regarding the current water shortage and blaming the "extreme drought" on global climatic conditions, such as La Niña, the Bermuda High, and the North Atlantic Oscillation (Palm Beach Post, June 13).

However, those are not the main causes of water shortages in South Florida. The late Arthur R. Marshall called this scenario a man-made drought, and sought to address it back in 1981. The main water shortage cause is the removal and draining of wetlands for development and agriculture, and the reduction of natural water flow from Lake Okeechobee to the Everglades.

A major volume of water that went south to the Everglades now is flushed to tide. One big result is decreased evapotranspiration (ET for short) over what used to be the river of grass, with surface water and plants sending water vapor into the atmosphere, unabated.

When moisture-heavy sea breezes combined with ET, South Florida was subject to rainfall deluges. Art Marshall dubbed this the "rain machine."

The water supply in all of Florida depends on a rainfall-driven system, and ET drives rainfall.

As Art Marshall declared in June 1981: Water is the major concern of our coalition. If Lake O fails periodically to be adequate for all needs, what is to be done? The question persists today.

Knowing that rainfall and its retention are the only satisfactory sources of water in the Everglades system, we support the reestablishment of sheet flow in the basin to the greatest possible extent.

Conservation measures may help alleviate drought situations . However projected population increases, more rooftops and unmitigated destruction of wetlands will only make for more frequent, extreme/exceptional droughts, and increased water supply costs.

JOHN ARTHUR MARSHALL

you can find a link to the letter: here!

To continue our drought discussion, please click and read this article The Anatomy of a Man-Made Drought originally printed in 1982!

Somebody did something about the weather in Florida; now a looming disaster demands that it be undone

Over the past few weeks, a growing number of Floridians have been jolted by a warning from Arthur Marshall, a 63-year-old ecologist who is widely regarded as having the keenest insights into that state's multiple environmental problems. Marshall's dismaying thesis is this: Drought conditions in Kissimmee Valley, which suffered a "once in every 700 years drought" last year, are going to get worse. Marshall asserts that last year was not in fact a meteorological aberration, but a predictable consequence of the land development and the drainage of wetlands in the Everglades and the Kissimmee River basin that have disrupted the normal rain cycle…

[click for the rest of the article]

Letter to the Editor--from Martha Musgrove

2011-06-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

Published in the Palm Beach Post on June 26, 2011, from Arthur R. Marshall Foundation Advisory Board member, Martha Musgrove...

Would You Trade Water for a Pizza? Our Governor Did.

Disregard the insensitivity Gov. Scott displayed in booking his traveling tax-cut stage show into the headquarters of the South Florida Water Management District where state employees are sweating layoffs. This is a pol who has pined for a month that nobody noticed when he first signed the bill that cedes control of Florida's five water management districts to the Legislature and undermines the districts' capacities to operate by imposing new limits on taxing authority. For this, the man wants cheers.
Just do the math in this drought to understand public skepticism. Spread across 16 South Florida counties, the West Palm Beach-based South Florida Water Management District admittedly has a big tax base. It raised $399 million this year levying 0.624 mills (62.4 cents per $1,000 taxable value) in the "Okeechobee Basin" and 0.4814 (48.14 cents per $1,000) in the two counties of the "Big Cypress Basin." On a house with a taxable value (after exemptions) of $200,000 that's $124.80 per year in Palm Beach County or $10.40 per month. With that I can buy a pizza, but I might not get a free glass of water to go with it in West Palm Beach because that city's water reservoir is nearly dry.
In Naples, Gov. Scott's alleged Florida "hometown," taxpayers aren't asked to freight the cost of operating and maintaining Southeast Florida's drainage system, so the tax burden on the same house would be $96.28 or $8 a month. That's not enough to buy a pizza, but maybe the governor can buy a glass of cheap Scotch at his club.
Of course by next year, it might rain - hard and several times a day for, say, five or six months. If so, we'll all be asking why the South Florida Water Management District hasn't refurbished the drainage system and found more and better places to store water than in our driveways, patios and kitchens.
In fact, before the Legislature convened to face this freshman governor, the district had a plan and a mandate to do just that and more. The plan was adopted unanimously by the 2000 Legislature, with the support of then-Gov. Jeb Bush. It calls for reconstructing Southeast Florida's aging, inadequate drainage system that dumps 1.7 billion gallons of fresh water a day to sea - even when it's desperately needed. It proposes reservoirs and vast water-storing marshes that can filter agriculture and urban runoff so it can be returned to the historical Everglades, revitalizing an ecosystem in sharp decline and recharging the Biscayne Aquifer. The plan is named the "Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan."
Not everyone believes it to be a perfect plan, but it lays out a vision big enough to capture the public imagination. It's worth pursuing- in good economic times and bad - because it provides water for people, agriculture, commerce and the environment.
Just as floods follow droughts, Florida's is, and always has been, a boom-bust economy. It's imperative to maintain the capacity to respond quickly and timely to both challenges. Politically, there's really no defense for an elected official in Florida to be so ignorant of water, the state's defining and most vital natural resource, as to take dead aim on the response capacity of agencies charged with allocating, conserving and protecting water, or - for lack of experience having blundered into the swamp - to be so guileless as to expect to be cheered.
Martha Musgrove is a retired journalist, member of the science advisory committee of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation and a director of the Florida Wildlife Federation.

Find the article here

Join us for the Summer Solstice party

2011-06-17T12:25:00.001-07:00

30th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan

2011-06-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Below is the Public Comment I gave to the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board on June 9, 2011:

This is a follow-up to my public comment of May 12, 2011, and yesterday’s electronic public comment to the Governing Board regarding CERP Baselines.

Today I am here as the spokesman for the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation, including our 2011 Summer Interns, commemorating the 30^th anniversary of the presentation of the Marshall Plan to the Governing Board, June 12, 1981, in Marathon, FL.

A hard copy of the written presentation was provided in the blue folder as part of public comment last month.

We also celebrated another anniversary this week, June 6, 1944. On D-Day, Art Marshall was in the second wave hitting Omaha Beach. We commemorate his survival, and the subsequent legacy he left for all of us. We have to wonder what he might have been thinking when he made his presentation close to the D-Day anniversary back in 1981.

Independent of getting some points across in 3 minutes, in the tradition of Art Marshall and invitations of the 1980’s governing board, it is appropriate that these comments be sequenced.

The Marshall Plan to Repair the Everglades was introduced in what Art called a “shirt-sleeve symposium held in November 1980, and was background for the 1981 presentation which we now commemorate.

In both instances he provided the case for Everglades Restoration in six pages, outlining what needed to be done for the govt and public, as only Art Marshall could do.

His basic premise for repair was easy to understand: Effective repair of the Everglades requires the restoration of sheet flow to the maximum extent practical from the Kissimmee Basin to FL Bay.

Art was about restoring processes that can be summarized by his three R’s of restoration.

Restore Flow; Re-vegetate; Restore peat; Re-Peat.

We are making some progress in this direction. We need to make more progress, so that on the 40^th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, we can celebrate rather than just commemorate.

I leave the rest of the story to a short read of copies of the six pages provided to the Governing Board back in June 12, 1981, which I have again provided by hard copy and electronic copy, and copies for the public.

Thanks for your consideration, and thanks to Art Marshall for leading us in this direction.

Respectfully submitted,

John Arthur Marshall,

Chairman of the Board.

Interns Have Arrived!

2011-05-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Arthur R. Marshall Foundation is pleased to welcome our newest class of Summer Interns--(from left to right )Vanessa Appricio, David Diaz, Judy Hartshorn & Rob Hill.

May 17th Public Comments to CISRERP

2011-05-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & FL Environmental Institute, Inc.
Public Comment [paraphrased+] May 17, 2011 at the 23rd Meeting of the
Committee on Independent Scientific Review of
Everglades Restoration Progress (CISRERP)

This public comment should well be called: What’s the real BASELINE to which restoration, preservation, protection, enhancement should be applied and assessed [measured]?

Here are three baselines that have a lot in common. Let me challenge the audience by stating that: Adaptive management is mission impossible without a baseline. [It’s hard to tell where you have been if you don’t know where you started!]

BASELINE 1: Key elements of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan = CERP [1999], vis-à-vis, CERP Sections 2, 5, 7, especially 2.3.1 dynamic storage and sheet flow.

BASELINE 2: Hit the streets 5/4/2011: Landscapes and Hydrology of the Predrainage Everglades by McVoy, VanArman, et al. This is the long-awaited expanded picture of the historic Everglades as outline in CERP 1999, Section 2.

BASELINE 3: The Marshall Plan, 1981, for repairing the Everglades, if you are an Art Marshall disciple. [The ArtMarhall.org is happy to see Arthur R. Marshall’s work again referenced in baseline 2, pages 310, 335. For additional information, same as referenced on page 310, in Predrainage Everglades, see: http://everglades.fiu.edu/marshall/index.htm .

All three BASELINES have the common element of restoring natural flow on a vast scale. [As Art Marshall put it in the Marshall Plan: Effect repair requires restoration of sheet flow to the greatest possible extent from the Kissimmee Lakes to Florida Bay.]

So with the near simultaneous events of a new SFWMD Governing Board and the McVoy Report, we have reissued [are reissuing] our condensed version of CERP 1999 and the Marshall Plan to get everybody on the same page.

For the uninitiated the 4033 Page CERP has been reduced to 11 pages for an E-Z read. This also provides a BASELINE for our 10th Annual Summer Intern Program, whereby we are training your replacements. Hard copy for the record and e-copy of CERP 11 page excerpt to Stephanie for distribution to the Committee.

Since there has been a lot of talk about technologies for attaining water quality phosphorous (P) standards of P = 10 ppb, let me close with an anecdote. There is an apparent error of omission in all these presentations by not considering the nutrient uptake of the pond apple forest south of Lake Okeechobee. We go with the Committee regarding avoiding high-cost engineering solutions, when there are low-cost, low-tech, low-risk natural solutions available. The pond apple forest is not a cure-all but it is one aspect that needs further consideration. Thanks for considering the trees. FOOTNOTE: LILA (Lox Impoundment Landscape Assessment) findings indicate this is even a better idea. More on that later.

Respectfully submitted,
John
John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board,
Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.

Spring 2011 Tree Plantings

2011-05-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped us this spring!

Upcoming Tree Planting

2011-04-08T13:14:00.001-07:00

Deadline for Summer Interns is March 31st!

2011-03-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

Back to Nature Luncheon--deadline to register is March 18!

2011-03-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Click here to learn more about our upcoming 'Back to Nature' luncheon, featuring author Richard Louv!

Connecting Classrooms with Nature

2011-03-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

Volunteer opportunity--March 19

2011-03-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

Everglades Headwaters NWR needs your support

2011-02-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

The Marshall Foundation fully supports this endeavor; this is the same Project briefed by Charlie Pelizza at our Fall 2010 Board Meeting. This is a much needed addition to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), worth billions of dollars to the FL economy, and the means for more water storage and water quality treatment north of Lake Okeechobee.

The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) also requests your support at Scoping Meetings and during the Comment Period. Nancy, Josette, Pauline Stacy, and John had a conference call with NWRA. They are asking all to take some serious action to overcome some of the negative inputs received thus far.

Two Scoping meetings remain:

Feb 9 in Okeechoobee, 6 - 9 PM

Feb 10 in Vero Beach, 6- 9PM

There is a perception problem because people who showed up at the two previous scoping meetings were about 3:1 against; written comments are coming in at about the same ratio.

Comment period runs through Feb 28, 2011. Please make written comments, even if you can not show up for the scoping meetings. E-MAIL: EvergladesHeadwatersProposal@fws.gov

Additional information, meeting locations, and contact numbers can be found at http://www.fws.gov/southeast/greatereverglades/

A positive news report can be found at

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/turning-ranches-into-one-big-refuge-1218687.html

The Proposed Everglades Headwaters NWR needs your support. Feel free to forward this to an interested party.

Thanks for weighing in on this important increase in spatial extent of natural area, the first stated goal/objective of CERP.

John Arthur Marshall

Back to Nature- Richard Louv returns to Palm Beach County

2011-01-21T12:19:00.000-08:00

The Marshall Foundation is proud to bring the author of Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv, back to Palm Beach County.

Back To Nature 2011--Annual Trail Spruce-Up

2011-01-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

And since we mentioned it...don't forget about Everglades Day on February 12

Economics of the Everglades

2011-01-06T09:18:00.001-08:00

On Friday, January 7 I will be part of a prestigious panel at the annual Everglades Coalition Conference. Our breakout session entitled Our Environment and our Economy will underscore the connection between a healthy, restored Everglades and a healthy, vibrant economy in South Florida.

For those of you who can't make it, please review the powerpoint below...

ArtMarshallEvCoJan7

ArtMarshallEvCoJan7

International Volunteer Day

2010-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

December 5th is International Volunteer Day. The Marshall Foundation would like to take this time to thank the many people who offer us their time and their talents. Please congratulate our Top 101 Volunteers!

Year of the Everglades event: the River of Grass Gala on December 11

2010-11-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Last Egret

2010-11-12T11:27:00.001-08:00

here is a promotional video for The Adventures of Charlie Pierce: The Last Egret. The book, by local author Harvey Oyer III, is being read by every 4th grader in Palm Beach County. It ties together with an exhibit at the Palm Beach County Historical Society and with Marshall Foundation field trips to the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. The Palm Beach County School District's T.E.N. (The Education Network) has created a 1/2 hour documentary to go along with the book.

Watch the video!

Everglades Coalition resolution for Evaluating Ecological Services

2010-11-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

click for a larger version

Public Comments to the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (10/28/10)

2010-11-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Public Comment to the Task Force; Coral Gables, Florida, October 28, 2010

By John Arthur Marshall,
Representing the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.

As briefed by Mark Musaus, we applaud expansion of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem by the proposed establishment of the Everglades Headwaters and Fisheating Creek National Wildlife Refuges, as well as the proposed additions to the Florida Panther NWR, and other activities to increase spatial extent of natural area, noting that this meets the first goal/objective of CERP Table 5-1 in a most significant way.

We applaud the inclusion of Ecosystem Services as an emerging theme in the Task Force 2010 Plan for Coordinating Science, as noted in the Everglades Coalition resolution.

Connecting the dots: Recent Everglades Coalition members’ ecosystem services value studies and analyses indicate the high value of restoring and preserving spatial extent of the Everglades, with benefit to costs ratios exceeding 4:1, and in some cases much higher.

While methods used in two Everglades analyses differed significantly, the result ends up in the same ball park. Case studies also indicate that Benefit:Cost in the case of CERP will be somewhere in the vicinity of 6:1. This includes our 2010 Summer Intern work on Valuing Ecosystem Services of a Restored River of Grass, with handouts available.

The 6:1 B/C ratio exceeds the US Army Corps of Engineer’s go-no-go criteria of B/C greater than 1.5, and appears to make more sense than the somewhat arbitrary and esoteric assignment of habitat units, in B/C analysis.

With respect to pinning the tail on the donkey regarding the absolute value of restoring ecosystems, we recognize that the work done is a best estimate of projected outcomes.

We feel that analytic value is in consistently applying the methodology to different configurations to provide analysis of alternatives in a situation like the River of Grass workshop deliberations. That said, this does provide a general sense of value.

Should the ESV-B/C approach be applied to CERP without a overt mandate for doing so? Given the robust B/C ratios, maybe it is time to give more consideration to the ESV-B/C approach for CERP decision-support, with the synthesis of benefits in economic dollar value, that fully meets the WRDA Section 601 requirements to report to Congress the benefits to the natural system and the human environment achieved, in understandable terms.

We note that The DRAFT Report to Congress does give some credit to Defenders of Wildlife for Valuing Ecosystem Services. We concur with NRC that failure to put a value on Ecosystems leaves them at zero value, and at high risk of not meeting no net loss of wetlands policy.

Finally, as a matter of ethics, if we can’t put value added by our work, what does that say for us, and for hope of restoring the Everglades? Thanks for considering the EvCo resolution.

John Arthur Marshall

SIP 2010 Poster Paper

2010-11-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Sure we talked about the SIP Poster Paper...but did we ever share it with you? Here it is for your viewing pleasure...

follow the link for a PDF version:

Meet local artist Ilene Adams

2010-10-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Year of the Everglades-10th Annual Cypress Harvest

2010-09-28T13:22:00.001-07:00

Golf with our friends at the Gale Academy of Forest Hills HS

2010-09-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

Show your support for National Wildlife Refuges

2010-09-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

This from our friends at the National Wildlife Refuge Association...

America’s Great Outdoors initiative in an effort to start a national dialogue about the great places across our nation to get outside and how the federal government and private citizens can help protect these places for future generations. After months of collecting input from Americans, the President will announce how he plans to conserve our great outdoors this Fall.
Refuges need YOUR help to make sure they are key part of any Presidential announcement -- don’t let the National Wildlife Refuge System remain America’s best kept SECRET!

Please go to America’s Great Outdoors website and cast your vote for the National Wildlife Refuge System – we need AT LEAST 4000 votes!

The National Wildlife Refuge System ought to be a cornerstone of this Initiative. As committed refuge supporters you’ve experienced the wonders of refuges and you know how important creating and conserving refuges are to preserving our natural legacy. So please cast your vote now and tell the President how valuable refuges are to the American public.

If you haven’t already registered with the website, click here to register. After you’ve completed the process, follow the instructions below.

If you have already registered with the America’s Great Outdoors website, please click on this link to go to Conserving America’s Wildlife Heritage: Strengthening our National Wildlife Refuge System There’s a box on the left with an orange border that shows the vote total so far. Click on the GREEN “Promote” text to cast your vote and leave a comment about your refuge if you wish.

We need to make sure the Refuge System is no longer America’s best-kept secret. Thank you for speaking up for wildlife and the refuges they call home!

Regards,

Joan Patterson

Director of Grassroots Outreach

National Wildlife Refuge Association

And here is a shot of our favorite Refuge:

Annual Cypress Seed Harvest--October 30th

2010-08-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

mark your calendars

Green M&M's Party!

2010-08-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

US Sugar Purchase: responding to the critics

2010-08-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Several newspapers and columnists have responded negatively to the land purchase that the Governing Board agreed on last week. So let's take the time to debunk some of their favorite myths:

I’m afraid you don’t understand the hydrology of the Everglades, the soil subsidence in the EEA that will prevent any natural connection between Lake O and the water conservation areas, and the need for more water storage

We understand the hydrology perfectly well. We have looked at contour maps, and the north-south profiles from Lake O to WCA-3. It is clear that even with the current subsidence, the possibility of gravity driven flow begins when the lake reaches ~13+ feet, the higher the Lake, the more gravity driven flow, and energy reduction. Florida Crystals has reached the same conclusion.

Even the SFWMD admits that this is so, in the course of the River of Grass workshop considerations.

That also is why the Corps of Engineers is considering a spill-way, down roughly this north-south path around the Miami and North New River Canal. Given current conditions of the dike, and an extreme wet condition that would take the Lake up to 18+ feet, and a possible breach of the dike, it is fairly obvious which direction the water would flow.

An ill-conceived conclusion that the water would not flow came from a look at an east-west transect, which does show a bowl of sorts. However the major objective remains south flow, not east-west flow. The hype that water won't flow from south to north under the aforementioned conditions is beyond science (BS)

Of course the reservoir isn’t the final solution and nobody says it is.

The National Research Council councils against engineered solutions, as usually they carry a lot of unforeseen consequences. As the EAA reservoir would have been a four-sided dam requiring a lot of pumping, and more unforeseen consequences, same as the dike around Lake O, it needed to be taken off the table as providing too few benefits, relative to cost.

Where do you get your water storage?

Dynamic Storage and Sheet Flow, as described in CERP section 2.3.1

Everglades Scientists, Florida Crystals, and the ArtMarshall.org have all calculated that if there is enough treatment by restoration of vegetation in shallow flow-ways and STA's, there would be enough thru-put via flow to provide "dynamic storage", just as it worked in the historic Everglades.

The ArtMarshall.org is also pushing restoration of the pond apple forest as part of the solution. It appears that the pond apple forest played a major role in reducing nutrients as water flowed south.

I.e., this approach would have moved nearly 2 million acre feet south, the current estimated requirement to restore ENP and FL Bay, which would also provide relief of the estuaries.

Both the placement and acreage of the EAA Resvoir would likely have foreclosed this option.

John

B.S. Geology, UF '63, M.S. System Science, 72

John Arthur Marshall, Chairman of the Board,

Arthur R. Marshall Foundation & Florida Environmental Institute, Inc.

www.ArtMarshall.org Declaring 2010 the Year of the Everglades!

EVERGLADES RESTORATION: Our Passion! Our Mission! Our Legacy!